Green Rips Dems for Failing to ‘Defend’ House Integrity by Blocking Move to Refer Cohen to DOJ for Perjury

Freshman Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) did not mince words on Wednesday after House Democrats blocked his privileged resolution that would have referred the February House Oversight testimony of President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to the Department of Justice for perjury.

In a tweet published mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Green — the former U.S. Army Major-turned-congressman who sits on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — blasted the Democrats.

“Democrats refused to defend the integrity of the House,” he wrote. “By voting against the resolution referring Cohen’s testimony to the DOJ, they’ve now suggested you can lie to Congress as long as testimony tries to hurt Trump. Democrats have just endorsed a two-tiered system of justice!”

Democrats refused to defend the integrity of the House. By voting against the resolution referring Cohen’s testimony to the DOJ, they’ve now suggested you can lie to Congress as long as testimony tries to hurt Trump. Democrats have just endorsed a two-tiered system of justice! https://t.co/Al8GC14rsu

Green had filed the privileged measure on Tuesday, forcing a vote on it within 48 hours.

A privileged order of business is a bill, resolution, or amendment that takes precedence over the normal order of business in the House.

Only certain types of measures are able to be considered privileged. General appropriations bills, continuing resolutions, and “resolutions concerning the official conduct of Members and staff” are only some of the types of measures that are under this umbrella.

Jim Young /Reuters

As IJR Red reported, Republicans have been pursuing charges against Cohen since his testimony to the House Oversight Committee in February, during which they believe Trump’s former fixer lied under oath again.

Committee Republicans argue that Cohen’s claim under oath that “[he] never asked for, nor would [he] accept” a presidential pardon from Trump was untrue.

Cohen’s lawyer sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) claiming that Cohen had meant he did not ask the president for a pardon after leaving the joint-defense agreement he had with Trump last June.

What do you think?

You can flag a comment by clicking its flag icon. Website admin will know that you reported it. Admins may or may not choose to remove the comment or block the author. And please don't worry, your report will be anonymous.